Change is hard...

and no, I'm not talking about the election, although I do think Obama has an incredibly hard job ahead. Anyone would considering the national and international challenges these days, and on top of that a public mania that is on a high and will be expecting great things - FAST.

It's been 5 days since we changed our clocks.

At which point, I very happily planned to enjoy my extra hour of sleep. The pup hasn't quite adjusted and still thinks we should be getting up WAY TOO EARLY. Not only that, but he's started to check to see if we should be getting up at about 1:30/2am as well. At that hour, a verbal reminder that it's still 'sleep time' is sufficient for him to go back to sleep, but by 5am (today it was even earlier - 4:30am), he starts to get pretty insistent that it's time to play, eat, pee or at least snuggle in the big chair.

But even with my incessant yawning, I'm long overdue for a Thankful Thursday post! So one day away from a weekend (which is always something to be thankful for), I'm thankful

- that I was able to fill my gas tank for $40
- for a co-worker that recognized my coffee mug that I left in a conference room
- for the 25% discount coupon from the huge used bookstore
- for the many decisions I have to make because it means I have choices
- for the stash of yarn and fabric that provide LOTS of creative projects when I don't want to spend money on new ones

Happy Almost-Friday!
- JavaNut

Bailey says: Momma, isn't this more fun than sleeping?

Make it Count!

Did You???

Where have I been?

For something a little different... I found this fun site that creates a map based on where you've visited... It would be interesting to see what it would look like if I excluded my work travels. ok, maybe not that interesting.

Red is where I've been in the US...



create your own personalized map of the USA

And to take a global view... Countries I've visited are in red.


create your own visited country map

That was fun!

- JavaNut

Bailey says: No more traveling, Momma.

Nuts for November

October was tough. I'm ready for a new month and love the start of cooler weather.

And the goblins are gone... yippee! I love costumes and the excitement of kids at the prospect of trick-or-treating, but I'm not a big fan of Halloween in general. It's a dark holiday and although most of the celebrations and such are in good fun, it's still a bit creepy (and sometimes disturbing!) to magnify things that have nothing edifying about them. Don't get me wrong - I'm not the bah-humbug sort, but I'm far more entertained, encouraged and excited about Christmas decorations and lights down the streets.

I did enjoy my extra hour of sleep last night... it was much needed and I wish there were more where that came from. Seriously - how cool would it be to have an extra hour for more than one day. Just as long as it doesn't change the 'daylight' hours. The downside of that extra hour is trying to get Bailey's walk in before it gets dark!

Still thinking about that extra hour... looking at the clock I realize that no knitting tonight if I want to try to get started on catching up at work. Very few stitches for me this weekend, but at least I can post my progress from the trip to China.

First up is the Piper Purse... just waiting for handles and fabric for a simple lining. This isn't a bag I would have chosen to make (although I love cables!!), but a friend gave me the pattern book for my birthday and immediately pointed this pattern out... So Christmas gift for her is almost done.


This is sock #1 with as much done as I could with the one ball I brought with me. Clearly I should have checked the yardage because the ball only has 137 yards! Fortunately I was able to find a 3rd ball at my LYS (the orig 2 were a gift). The foot is a bit big so I'll frog back to the heel and decrease a bit before knitting the foot... Sock #2 has a cuff and leg - about to do the heel.
This is the first heel I've made that isn't a heel-flap. I don't really like the way the heel flap style fits so tried this after-thought technique... maybe next pair will get a short-row. It will be interesting to compare how they each fit.

sigh. 48 hours until the election will be over... I can't wait! I'm tired of all the campaigns and I've never been so tense about election results. My pastor said it so well this morning, that regardless of which candidate you support, the country will be disappointed because we expect a quick fix to decades of problems....

I've voted already and am ready for the rest of the country to do the same. Make it count!
-JavaNut

Bailey says: Momma, this is how I'm spending my extra hour. OK?

Home again, home again...

Home again after a quick trip to China (almost half of which was spent traveling!)... This wasn't for work, but it wasn't exactly vacation either... I guess 'potential' work is the best label since M and I were there to explore a potential business venture. The trip was overwhelming and we've got some big decisions ahead of us, but other than a disasterous outbound flight, everything went incredibly well. More to share as we figure things out...

In the meantime, I'm still attempting to recover from the intensity of the trip and my standard sleep issues. Re-adjusting to pacific time hasn't been the main challenge... last night the pup was sick so I was up at 2am and 5am (at which I just stayed up). He's feeling better now, but I'm draggin' quite a bit. And I need to put in a few hours for work tonight. yawn!

It's been a while since a blog update, and I'm not sure how it happened, but I suddenly was bit by the "Sock-blankie" bug! (see the Ravelry Blankiemania group). I'm not really sure why I want to make this, or even what I'll do with it when I'm done. But...Must-Knit-Blankie.

So as if I didn't have enough to do before I left, I wound up some sock yarn into cute little balls for a swap and then got this back in return:


Each is about 5g or approx 20 yards. Aren't those mini-skeins cute!!?? The bug bit hard so I've just mailed off these for another swap (aren't the fall colors perfect for November?)


I haven't actually started the blankie yet - that will probably be after Christmas, but I want to get a good assortment of yarns so I'll have plenty of choices for color placement as I go.

Happily, a couple of FOs made it do the 'done' pile before I left. My 4th Clapotis... I love this pattern for mindless knitting! Not sure if this will be a gift or end up in my closet... made with Plymouth Boku which meant it was a quicker knit than the fingering weight I've used before, and resulted in a wonderfully large wrap (almost like wearing a blankie in disguise!)


And a scarf made with Bernat's Alpaca blend... one ball of each from a craft store sale made this an incredibly inexpensive gift-knit,


Happy Knitting!
JavaNut
Bailey says: I'm glad we're back at home Momma. My chair is really the best place ever!

What a Week!

After business in London I spent a few days in FL... was a good visit and amazingly (sadly) knit-free. Other than the necessary frogging of the ugly orange scarf!!

Bailey was very happy to come home from L&B's (but he did have fun at camp!). And I had to laugh when I looked at my sneakers. These were washed at the same time... I call the right one evidence of 'Frisbee-Foot' because it's evidence of his point of leverage for the requisite tug-o-war after each throw! It matches the frequent muddy prints on my right shin when the grass is still wet!

But then came home to celebrate a big birthday on Wed... starting with a lovely breakfast before going to the spa with 3 friends... what a wonderful day!! Jacuzzi, steam room, sauna and extra long massages for all of us, followed by lunch at my favorite sushi bar!

My mom had sent these gorgeous roses!

and my goddaughters made me this wonderful card (I can just imagine how long they spent picking out the stickers to decorate it!). I love the mini-sweater and the dog treats... they know me well!!


They afternoon was spent at the LYS that offers a discount chip for your birthday-purchase! I was able to get 20% off on the Silky Wool to make an Aleita shell for my mom's Christmas present. Living in FL, it's tough to find a good knit for her... but she picked this out so I'll be casting on soon!

In the meantime, I did cast on another Clapotis... this one is in a worsted weight so it's knitting up so much bigger than the lace and sock-weight versions... It's with Boku and I love the way the striping varies ...


And now off to book club... with my Clapotis! ; )

Happy Friday..... -JavaNut

Bailey says: I'm glad to be home, Momma... I missed my toys.

Lucky-in-London... NOT!

I'm in London for business... most people think 'oh, cool!' Well, not really... first of all my hotel and office are right by Heathrow. Convenient... absolutely. Interesting... not at all. And annoying that I'm still here on a Friday night, but the work-stuff went too late to be able to take a flight out.

And for those that ask 'Why don't you stay the weekend and see London?" Well... I've been to London many times and although I love it, not so interested in going around by myself. Not to mention how INSANELY expensive it is. I mean INSANE... pricey to begin with, and the current exchange rate makes some thing absolutely ludicrous. Like $36 for a mediocre burger. Granted, it's also hotel prices, but seriously???

The one thing that made me smile (or squirm if I think about it) was the in-room coffee/tea set up. I love hotels that provide that... but I like milk in my coffee and I hate the powdered "whitener" that is usually in the little tray. However, this hotel had a different option:



I choose not to think about milk that doesn't hit it's expiration date until Feb 2009. It was WAY better than whitener.

But that's not why I'm un-Lucky in London... sometimes you know it's going to be a hard trip. The work stuff was challenging, but good. The main tragedy of the trip was leaving my iPod on the plane. really. And I did check the pocket on the seatback in front of me. I ALWAYS do that ever since I left my iPod in it 3 years ago. I suspect it fell between the seats when I was carefully packing up my earphones. The tragedy is not the financial hit as you might expect (I actually have a new iTouch at home that's still in the box!), but when I'm traveling (and often at home), I fall asleep listening to podcasts. I'm a horrible sleeper, but I discovered that podcasts are enough to distract my brain and then I can get back to sleep... so 2 long days of travel and 4 more nights without it is the distressing part.

And on top of that loss... selecting knitting for travel is usually pretty easy. But having gone thru more options that I care to confess when selecting my 'travel knitting,' and having brought three different projects... I didn't pack well.

Project 1 is a baby vest. I've made this before and love it, but for some confusing reason I brought only a partial skein. Since taking this photo I've completed as much as I can until I can get home to the other skein.


Project 2 is a 'one-skein stole.' This yarn is more orange-y than I like (I don't really like orange, but it seemed like a good fall colorway). And I really don't like the pattern... I'll give it another pattern repeat before I decide, but I suspect it will be frogged before long.



Project 3 is a scarf... it's a simple linen-stitch in a cocoa brown/light pink. But since I'll be working on that tonight, I'll be done with it long before tomorrow's 8 hour flight is over. And I've already finished The Demolished Man for this month's book club.

TGIF! Happy (hopeful) Knitting!
JavaNut

(I miss Bailey, but he's having fun at "camp A" while I'm gone. He gets to chase as many squirrels from L&B's yard as he does at home)